March 19, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior guard Ieasia Walker earned a spot on the Associated Press’ All-SEC Second Team, the organization announced today. Sophomore forward Aleighsa Welch was tabbed a league honorable mention. The pair will lead the Gamecocks (24-7) into the program’s 10th NCAA Tournament appearance this weekend, taking on South Dakota State on Sat., March 23, at 4:10 p.m. (ET) in Boulder, Colo.

Walker was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-SEC First Team by the league’s coaches just before the SEC Tournament began. She is the team’s third-leading scorer at 9.5 points per game, although that number jumped up to 10.2 points per SEC contest. That production comes with 3.2 assists per game and 2.7 steals per contest as she defends the opponents’ point guard. Walker is ranked 45th in the nation in steals per game. She will complete her career as one of just three players in program history to accumulate 1,000 career points while also amassing 250 assists and 250 steals.

Welch is the Gamecocks’ top scorer at 12.0 points per game and has nine double-doubles on the season. Among the SEC’s top 10 rebounders overall, she leads the league in offensive boards with 3.9 per game. Welch has scored in double figures 20 times this season and pulled down 10 or more rebounds 11 times.

Ranked No. 17/14 this week, the Gamecocks earned the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s Norfolk Region. It is the program’s highest seed since the 2001-02 team played as the No. 3 seed in the East Region.

2013 AP All-SEC First Team

A’dia Matheis, Kentucky
Theresa Plaisance, LSU
Meighan Simmons, Tennessee
Kelsey Tiffany Clarke, Vanderbilt

2013 AP All-SEC Second Team

Hasina Muhammad, Auburn
Jasmine Hassell, Georgia
DaNesha Stallworth, Kentucky
Ieasia Walker, South Carolina
Bashaara Graves, Tennessee

2013 AP All-SEC Honorable Mention

Jaterra Bonds, Florida
Jennifer George, Florida
Jasmine James, Georgia
Adrienne Webb, LSU
Martha Alwal, Mississippi State
Aleighsa Welch, South Carolina
Kristi Bellock, Texas A&M
Adrienne Pratcher, Texas A&M
Jasmine Lister, Vanderbilt

Individual Awards

Coach of the Year: Holly Warlick, Tennessee
Player of the Year: A’dia Mathis, Kentucky
Newcomer of the Year: Bashaara Graves, Tennessee